1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to computer systems and receiving broadcast information. More particularly, this invention relates to caching video and audio information and providing the cached information to end users in an indexed manner.
2. Background
Video and audio broadcasts currently have a wide and varied audience. Such broadcasts encompass a wide spectrum of information, including news broadcasts, weather reports, soap operas, etc. This broadcast information is typically made available to individual end users at a particular time, and users simply choose whether they will watch the broadcast at that time. Alternatively, an individual user may have a video cassette recorder (VCR) which enables the user to record the broadcast in an analog format and play it back at a later time.
One disadvantage to current video and audio broadcasts is that the end users are limited to either watching the information as it is received, or viewing it as recorded on a VCR. These methods force the end users to consume the information sequentially in the order it is received. For example, during a news broadcast, important headlines may be broadcast first and a weather report may be broadcast sometime later. Therefore, in order to watch the weather report, it is necessary for the end user to sit through the intervening news. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a system which allows individual users to watch only those portions of the broadcast which are of interest to them without requiring them to watch the entire broadcast. The present invention provides such a system.
In addition, the advancement of computer technology has resulted in computer systems being found on the desktops of a large number of individuals in the work force. These individuals are often interested in staying knowledgeable of current events, whether it be for personal or business reasons. These individuals, however, are particularly time-sensitive during the work day; that is, an individual at work typically cannot take a few half-hour breaks during the day to watch live news reports. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a system which allows an end user to view up-to-date news reports of interest to him or her when it is convenient for him or her. The present invention provides such a system.
Additionally, storing audio and video information requires a substantial amount of storage space in a computer system. Therefore, it is difficult to store multiple news reports in a computer system until such a time as the user is able to search through them for the desired information. Furthermore, locating a desired portion of audio and/or video information may be very difficult, such as requiring sequentially scanning hours worth of a VCR videotape or other storage medium. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a system which stores broadcast information in an efficient manner, keeping only that portion of the information which is most current. In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a system which allows an individual to quickly and easily access the stored information.
The present invention provides for these and other advantageous results.